Is Michael Cooper #21 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1987 Fleer · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Michael Cooper #21 sells for $4,638 against $2.85 raw: a $4,635 spread, 1627× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($450) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $2.85
- PSA 10
- $4,638
- PSA 9
- $450
- Gem premium
- 1627×
- As of
- Sep 4, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $4,638 | +$4,610 | +$4,585 | +$4,485 |
| PSA 9 | $450 | +$422 | +$397 | +$297 |
| PSA 8 | $19.71 | −$8.14 | −$33.14 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $2.85 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $1,497 | +$1,444 |
| 50% | $2,544 | +$2,491 |
| 75% | $3,591 | +$3,538 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $4,638 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,783 | −$1,855 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,783 | −$1,855 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Grading Michael Cooper #21 — FAQ
Is Michael Cooper #21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Cooper #21 sells for $4,638 against $2.85 raw: a $4,635 spread, 1627× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($450) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Michael Cooper #21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Cooper #21 (Basketball Cards 1987 Fleer) sells for about $4,638 versus $2.85 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1627× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Cooper #21?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $4,638, ahead of CGC 10 at $2,783. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Cooper #21 need for a PSA 10?
PSA publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
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